Dental work done incorrectly can potentially create severe health problems. It is really important to educate yourself and ask questions before you have work done in your mouth. In this Part 3 of my series on teeth, I will explain the pros and cons of various dental procedures.
In Part 1, I introduced you a tooth chart and a link so you can determine how each tooth corresponds to your organs and other body parts. You learned how problems with your teeth, such as cavities, gum issues, and/or infections in your mouth, can indicate health issues in other parts of your body.
In Part 2, I explained how the wrong dental materials and dental procedures can cause health issues if you are not careful, especially amalgam fillings. I introduced you to the concept of biocompatible materials and explained how to safely get your amalgam fillings removed and replaced.
In this article I give you an overview of other common dental procedures, including everything from a dental cleaning to a tooth implant. The tips below will assist you. Each procedure should be done with caution. In many cases, there is an optimum way to proceed.
You should also be as healthy as possible before having a dental procedure, making sure your immune system is strong, since the stress of the dental procedure itself can take a toll on the body.
Teeth Cleaning
Getting your teeth cleaned seems harmless enough, but you want to make sure the products the dental hygienist puts in your mouth contain the purest ingredients. Many kid’s dental cleaning products, for example, include unnecessary food colorings, preservatives, and even artificial flavorings and sweeteners. These chemicals and toxins can enter the blood stream and the lymphatic system through your gums and teeth.
Instead, ask for plain pumice powder to be used. Most dental offices carry this, but you should request it when making the appointment to make sure they have it on hand when you get there. The last time I got my teeth cleaned, the dental hygienist actually used coconut oil for polishing, which is soothing as well as naturally antimicrobial. Another great alternative.
Sealants
In theory, sealing what looks like deep caverns in your molars sounds like a great protective idea. But, remember, teeth need to be able to “breath” and absorb nutrients. (See Part 1.) If you seal them, they can’t do this. Some sealants also require an acid wash before the material can be applied, which can further weaken the teeth.
Many sealants are made of a plastic-type material, which means they are made with chemicals, including chemicals like BPA (bisphenol A) and its newer cousin BPS. These chemicals continue to leach into the saliva over time and create unnecessary toxins in the body, especially when chewing and eating warm foods. These plastic materials are known as endocrine disruptors, mimicking estrogen and causing glandular issues. (For more information on sealants and the health issues they can create, click here.)
Fluoride Treatments
In our family, we opt out of fluoride treatments as well as tooth paste made with fluoride. Most of the fluoride used today in dental products and tap water is toxic to the body. The fluoride found in tap water, for example, is called hydrofluorosilicic acid (or its sodium salt) and is actually an industrial waste – a by-product of phosphate fertilizer production. In fact, several national organizations warn against using tap water when mixing infant formula or letting small children ingest fluoridated toothpaste.
In a dentist office, fluoride is added to a gel and topically applied to the teeth. The problem with a fluoride treatment is that it is absorbed into the blood stream through the gums and into the digestive system through the saliva. Adverse health effects of even low doses of fluoride are known to include vomiting, hyperactivity, learning disabilities, lower IQ, fluorosis (discoloration of teeth), arthritis, gastrointestinal disorders, birth defects, cancer, etc.
Fluoride is also part of the halogen family of chemicals that likes to accumulate in the body, especially in our fatty tissues. Halogens like fluoride and chlorine also tend to accumulate in the pineal gland, causing it to calcify. To learn more about the effects of fluoride treatments click here. To learn more about fluoride in general, check out the website of the Fluoride Action Network.
I have had young adult clients credit the fluoride treatments they had as a child for their cavity-free teeth. However, from the research I have done, topically applied fluoride creates an unnatural hardness to your teeth so that they are not able to naturally “breath” and absorb nutrients. This can potential cause other teeth problems later in life.
Tooth Extraction
Sometimes you need to have a tooth removed. The extraction of wisdom teeth is a common example. However, certain dentists have come to realize that if you do not also purposely remove the periodontal ligament, which is what holds your tooth in the bone, you can create potential health problems down the road.
If inadvertently left in, the ligament can create a pocket in the healing bone, called a cavitation, where infection can occur over time. These pockets become filled with toxins such as small chemical toxins, anaerobic bacteria, metabolic wastes, etc. Heavy metals like mercury have also been found at these sites.
Eventually, especially if your immune system gets run down, these toxins start leaking and settle in other parts of your body, often causing unexplainable health issues. There are many case studies of people that have healed chronic conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and even cancer once they resolved their cavitation(s).
If your oral surgeon tells you the periodontal ligament always comes out with the tooth, you should find someone else. Even if it appears that the ligament came out with the pulled tooth, there could be remnants left attached to the bone. The jaw bone needs to be thoroughly scraped clean after the tooth is pulled to make sure all parts of the ligament have been removed.
If you already have a tooth removed and you suspect a cavitation, you may have to find a more holistic dentist (see Part 2) to get confirmation. Not all dentists know how to look for cavitations. There are certain types of x-rays that are better at detecting them. Muscle testing and a bioenergetic assessment can also be helpful. If detected, a specialize surgery to open and clean out the cavitation is usually what is recommended.
Root Canals
A root canal is typically performed to save a tooth. The procedure consists of going in through a hole in the top of the tooth to remove the nerve and the pulp that surrounds the nerve in the center of the tooth. Once the area is cleaned out, a material is packed into the space and a filling is placed at the top of the tooth.
There are several potential problems with this procedure. In the past, the material that was used to pack the cleaned out nerve cavity typically contained mercury. Although newer materials that are not as toxic are now more typically used, the biggest issue is that the site eventually becomes a pocket for infection and toxins.
A tooth actually consists of thousands of microscopic side channels and many smaller nerves that run through these channel. Once the main nerve is removed and the resulting space is packed and sealed, the smaller nerves that were left behind (that are inaccessible to the dentist) eventually die and begin to decay.
This creates a perfect environment for anaerobic bacteria, which thrive in the tiny spaces and canals and excrete toxic metabolic wastes. These toxins can lead to chronic infection, called a focal infection, which may slowly leak into the blood stream and/or lymphatic system. Unfortunately, antibiotics and natural antimicrobials won’t help because the bacteria become encapsulated and protected inside the dead tooth.
Similar to a cavitation, if left unresolved and your immune system gets run down, an infected root canal can create health problems that are often hard to figure out. If left unchecked, it could even lead to a chronic disease. (A root canal can also cause a cavitation in the bone below the site.)
The best option is to avoid the root canal in the first place. If one is suggested, you may want to get a second opinion. For example, at one point when I needed a crown on my back molar my dentist automatically wanted to give that tooth a root canal, which was the typical procedure at the time. However, having done my research, I requested the crown without the root canal. I could feel the bruising in the nerve for a few weeks after the procedure (it was a little tender when I chewed), but I never had a problem with the tooth after that.
If you do decide to get a root canal, make sure the dentist thoroughly disinfects it before packing and closing. A dentist that uses ozone is optimal (see Part 2). If you already have a root canal, you can refer to the diagrams and links in Part 1 to see which organs and other parts of your body are connected to those teeth and see if there is a health correlation. Muscle testing and a bioenergetic assessment can also be used to check the health of a tooth. If a focal infection is found, typically the tooth needs to be removed. (See Tooth Extraction above.)
Tooth Implants
A tooth implant is when a post is screwed into the bone (after a tooth is removed and the bone has healed), so that a man-made tooth can be secured into place.
If you have a tooth removed or one knocked out, an implant can be helpful to keep the rest of your teeth in their proper position. However, similar to fillings and crowns (see Part 2), you need to carefully select the materials being used, both for the post and for the tooth itself. Known as biocompatibility, you will want to determine which dental materials are compatible to your body before you get the work done.
Posts are often made of metal with titanium being the most common choice. Unfortunately, this introduces another metal into your mouth and body. It can essentially create an antennae in your mouth that absorbs electromagnetic frequencies (EMFs), especially when a cell phone is held close to your ear/mouth. If you have other metals in your mouth, such as an amalgam filling or metal crown, it can also create a battery effect like that discussed in Part 2. In addition, some people become allergic to titanium over time, creating unwanted toxicity and often unexplainable symptoms in the body.
Implant posts can also be made from zirconium. This is usually the better choice for biocompatibility reasons, however, it is not as sturdy as the titanium so it may not be optimal for back molars.
If you find you must use a titanium post, I would make sure there are no other metals in the mouth. In addition, I have found that some people need to do a regular targeted detox or cleanse to keep their heavy metals in check over time. Titanium can be toxic to the body, especially if you can’t detox it on your own and it starts to accumulate.
Tooth Veneers
Adding veneers to your teeth has become a more common procedure, especially for those that want to improve the look of their teeth. Not only are veneers very evasive, often having to grind down otherwise healthy teeth, you also need to make sure that the materials used in the veneers and the cement (used to hold the veneers in place) are biocompatible to your body. No two people are the same so you should make sure the materials being use will not make you toxic over time. (See Part 2.)
Most people use veneers to replace crooked teeth and/or discolored teeth. If you have crooked teeth, you would be better off getting braces temporarily, even if you are an adult (see below). There are also natural ways to help with discolored teeth, especially if they are consistently yellowed. Often the liver has something to do with it, so detoxing the liver can help. Limiting your exposure to fluoride (especially at an early age) will also help since too much can cause discoloration, called fluorosis.
Braces and Retainers
Braces and retainers are sometimes necessary, temporarily, to realign teeth. However, just like other dental materials, these are made of metal and/or plastic that are not optimal for your overall health.
When wearing braces, it is important to keep your immune system strong by eating healthy and taking additional supplements. Some people may also need a regular gentle detox or cleanse to make sure the metals and plastic don’t end up getting stored in the body. (You can do this after the braces are removed too.)
When it comes to retainers, consider using a removable retainer when possible. Retainers typically include metal so getting a permanent retainer (or wire) in your mouth makes you more susceptible to electromagnetic frequencies (EMFs) on a regular basis, similar to amalgam fillings (as explained in Part 2) and titanium posts (see Tooth Implants above).
The current trend in pediatric dentistry is to put braces on baby teeth and then again on permanent teeth. That is a lot of time to have metal and plastic in your mouth. Not all dentists agree with this, so you may want to get more than one opinion. The jaw bone is still growing up until age 12 and 14, so there is a good chance that some or all of the teeth will straighten out on their own, or at least straighten out more so that less time is needed with braces.
Some believe that crooked teeth is genetic. However, a dentist named Weston Price, who studied indigenous cultures throughout the world in the early 1900s, found that crooked teeth often resulted when cultures strayed from their traditional, nutritious foods. He also realized that he could improve the growth of the teeth and the jaw bone by adding nutrient dense foods to children’s diets.
Moving Forward
Don’t forget what was discussed in Part 1: your teeth are alive. This is good news. There are many things you can do on your own to improve the health of your teeth, gums, and jaw bone. In fact, many teeth and gum issues can be resolved more naturally.
The goal is to be proactive so that you can prevent dental problems and avoid invasive dental procedures. For example, did you know that you can actually re-mineralize your teeth? You can heal cavities, especially if they are minor ones. There are also things you can do to help heal the gums and jaw bone. Long-term, it is a matter of finding the right diet, nutrients, and lifestyle for your unique body. Body work like cranial sacral therapy and chiropractic adjustments can also be helpful.
In the mean time, if you need a dental procedure, use the information in this article to educate yourself. A good holistic dentist, as explained in Part 2, will work on your teeth but also give you other suggestions for turning around your mouth health.
There is much you can do if you are willing to learn and make the necessary changes. If you need help with any of this, please contact me.
This article was written by Sharon Harmon, founder of Life Design for Health. As a “Health Designer” she has a passion for helping people find their way back to optimum health. Please contact her if you would like to know more. There is a great deal of health-related information in her blog articles and on her website. Including additional suggested resources (books and articles) by topic, a pantry list that is gluten-free, dairy free and GMO-free, and a healing foods list.